After ending the call, I quickly made my way into town, inquired about a place to receive a package, and discovered the local post office allowed Fermo Posta. I sent the information to her, signed the emailJethro Davis, and then cleared the relevant data from my phone before heading back at as fast a pace as I could manage.
By the time I returned, I was drenched and noodle-legged. I made my way through the front door, handing my phone and earbuds over to the guard before walking through the hidden metal detector bars that had been set up.
He nodded and returned my items to me, causing me to wonder how the hell I would be able to get the surveillance equipment through the door.
It was a problem for another time.
Just like the fact I’d held a single name back from Rocky on my list of who’s who here at the Italian “hotel.”
The thought of Locke getting pulled into an ESP investigation filled me with dread. I told myself I was protecting him. But the truth was messier. The moment I said J. Locke Maris’s name out loud, he would be forever—officially—off-limits to me.
And that was a line I couldn’t bring myself to cross.
24
LOCKE
I foundit hard to concentrate on the game that afternoon.
The memory of Jett’s tight ass squeezing my dick was hard to ignore. It had never been like this for me before. With anyone. And I was beginning to wonder if the difference went beyond the physical. That the reason sex with Jett was so much better was because it washim.
And the only way to figure it out was to spend more time with him.
Throughout the afternoon session, I’d felt myself becoming more and more resentful of my role in the Paxis Council. I knew why it was important—how could I not when my grandfather had reminded me over and over? But today, I was annoyed as fuck.
Why couldn’t European and American militaries run this shit down without turning it into a spiderweb of diplomatic posturing, double-dealing trade agreements, and useless sanctions?
Yes, it was efficient for the council to nip shit like this in the bud before it turned into something bigger. But it felt like thebarrage of global clusterfucks we had to handle was as never-ending as the tide. And just as relentless and destructive.
“Good game today,” al-Qadiri said, eying me from the seat next to mine as we all reset our pieces to their neutral positions in preparation for the morning’s session.
“Maybe.”
“You play like your grandfather.”
I felt the compliment. My grandfather had been deeply respected by his fellow council members. “Thank you. I always hope to honor him and the rest of the council with my moves.”
“You do. I am impressed.” He continued studying me, but then his eyes flicked to Esteban and back to me. “Patience and action are difficult to balance. Do not expect to get it right all of the time.”
“Mistakes are costly,” I said carefully. When spoken about, the interaction we had during a Paxis session always had to be referred to in game language. “I fear losing.”
He nodded slowly. “As do I. As do all of us. But there cannot always be wins. And remember, we can only do our best.” He hesitated before meeting my eyes. “It is only a game, Locke. Your life is important also.”
This was also a familiar chorus. “Now you sound like my grandfather,” I accused with a smile.
Al-Qadiri returned the smile. “He was a smart man.” He tapped a finger on the table over a symbol of family. “And he loved your grandmother very much. And his grandchildren and dogs and boats.”
I huffed out a soft laugh, remembering summer days with my grandfather on his sailboat, his old black Lab asleep at his feet.
“That’s not really my scene,” I admitted. “I enjoy city life, and I enjoy my work.”
He smiled and tilted his head toward Vraj Nanda, who sat on the other side of me. “Maybe you need to talk to our friend hereabout balance. He will do a better job than I will convincing you of its powers.”
“What do you do for balance?” I asked.
“I have my family. My hobbies. We need things that help us remember we are men and not gods.” His face widened into a smile. “A love of horses is something my wife and I have in common. Her passion is for showing, and mine is for racing.” He chuckled. “I never go to the racetrack without my family. It is possible to enjoy such things together.”
“Like when I take my sister shopping in London?” I suggested. “Because I do that more often than I care to admit.”
